11 High School Lacrosse Players Turn Themselves In After DA Threatens Them With Kidnapping Charges

Eleven high school lacrosse players reportedly surrendered to authorities in upstate New York after prosecutors threatened to charge them with kidnapping in an off-campus incident that shook the community, an official said.

The 11 students of Westhill High School, Syracuse, turned themselves in to the authorities Tuesday and Wednesday before a 48 hour deadline, CNN reported, citing Onondaga County First Chief Assistant District Attorney Joseph Coolican. They face misdemeanor charges of unlawful imprisonment, escaping the more serious kidnapping charge, according to District Attorney William Fitzpatrick.

The DA had warned the suspects at a press conference Tuesday that they would face felony kidnapping charges if they did not turn themselves in within 48 hours. “If you don’t [surrender], if you’re tougher than me and you’re a gambler and you’re going to play the odds and you don’t think you’re going to get caught, trust me: the men and women of the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department are going to identify you. You’ll be arrested. You’ll be prosecuted as an adult and you’ll be charged with a felony — the very, very serious felony of kidnapping — perhaps in the second degree,” Fitzpatrick said.

The students allegedly victimized at least five younger athletes in a ruse that entailed luring the younger players to a remote location on the pretext of driving them to a lacrosse game and a McDonald’s afterward, the DA told reporters. (RELATED: Outright Fight Breaks Out In Lacrosse Game, And It Features Some Of The Most Epic Punches Thrown)

The students — mostly minors and therefore not publicly named — “decided that they were going to haze or play some sort of prank” on some of their younger teammates, Fitzpatrick alleged.

“By prearrangement, people came out of the woods, all dressed in black. They were armed with what appeared to be at least one handgun and at least one knife,” Fitzpatrick claimed.

One victim had a pillow case forced over his head, was bound up and was placed in the trunk of a vehicle, according to the DA. Some of the suspects allegedly took the athlete back to his home. Some of the other potential victims escaped, he said.

“I cannot really adequately express to this community the level of stupidity and lack of judgment involved in this case. This goes way, way beyond hazing — doing something stupid as a rite of passage,” Fitzpatrick told reporters.

“If you were involved in this, if you’re one of the — we believe to be 11, perhaps more — people that were involved in this, you have 48 hours to turn yourself into the Sheriff’s Department,” Fitzpatrick said.

Fitzpatrick said suspects would likely face the unlawful imprisonment misdemeanor charge in a family court and returned to their parents if they accepted the “one-time 48-hour offer.” Any of the alleged perpetrators ineligible to appear in family court on account of their age could “end this situation without a criminal conviction and a criminal record” if they surrendered. If they did not surrender, they would face kidnapping charges, according to Fitzpatrick.

The DA commended the Westhill Central School District (WCSD) Superintendent Steve Dunham for “handling this [case] in a textbook fashion.”

Fitzpatrick responded to criticisms of the authorities involving themselves in alleged school hazing, saying he saw footage of the incident. “It is not a trivial matter. I don’t know how long this young man will be affected by what happened to him,” he added.

Rumors about the incident had spiraled beyond control, warranting the press conference, Fitzpatrick said.

Dunham wrote a letter to parents obtained by Syracuse.com. “I cannot comment or share specific details about student discipline,” it read. “Our top priority is always the physical safety, mental health and well-being of our students.”